CARLOW SHC Semi-Finals
Ballinkillen 1-20 St Mullins 1-19
Mount Leinster Rangers 1-22 Naomh Eoin 0-11
Ballinkillen pulled off an upset in the Carlow SHC semi-finals by dethroning reigning champions St. Mullins.
St. Mullins, who defeated Cuala in last year’s Leinster SHC, were favourites to make it back to back titles this year, but Ballinkillen were full value for their dramatic one-point win.
They trailed by four points at half-time but upped through the gears in the second-half to eventually seal victory by the narrowest of margins.
They’ll now face a Mount Leinster Rangers team who have made it to sixth successive Carlow SHC Final after a comfortable 14 point victory over Naomh Eoin.
Already seven points ahead at half-time, a Chris Nolan goal mid-way through the second-half for MLR killed off the Naomh Eoin challenge once and for all.
CLARE SHC
Ballyea 1-20 Kilmaley 1-14
Sixmilebridge 0-21 Broadford 0-12
Éire Óg 1-18 Cratloe 0-15
O’Callaghans Mills 2-16 Inagh Kilnamona 0-13
Newmarket 1-14 Wolfe Tones 1-12
Clarecastle 1-17 Whitegate 2-10
Sixmilebridge, Ballyea and O’Callaghan’s Mills are through to the Clare SHC semi-finals after a hectic weekend of club hurling in the Banner County.
Defending champions Sixmilebrdige proved much too strong for Broadford, with ten different players getting on the scoreboard in their nine-point victory.
Tony Kelly was a driving force for Ballyea once again as they defeated Kilmaley. The teams were level at 1-11 apiece by the 35th minute, but then an unanswered burst of four points ultimately gave Ballyea the momentum to win the match.
O’Callaghan’s Mills are through to their first county semi-final since 2018 courtesy of a convincing win over Inagh-Kilnamona.
The teams were level at half-time, but, with the wind at their backs in the second-half, O’Callaghan’s Mills pulled away thanks largely to the accuracy of Colin Crehan.
The Clare SHC semi-final line-up will be completed by whoever wins the remaining quarter-final between Éire Óg Ennis and Feakle.
CORK PREMIER SHC DIVISION/COLLEGE FINAL
UCC 1-23 Imokilly 1-20
Three-in-a-row reigning champions, Imokilly, are out of the 2020 Cork Premier SHC after defeat to UCC in the Divisional/College hurling final.
The College and Divisions sides in Cork compete for the right to take part in the knock-out stage proper of the Cork SHC, and Imokilly were dethroned in dramatic fashion.
The champions looked set for victory when a Will Leahy goal edged them ahead for the first time in the match, but UCC summoned up a stirring finish to hit four late points that sealed an impressive victory.
Chris Crummey of Lucan Sarsfields, centre, celebrates with team-mates Daire Newcombe, left, and Paul Crummey after the Dublin County Senior A Hurling Championship Quarter-Final match between Kilmacud Crokes and Lucan Sarsfields at Parnell Park in Dublin.
DUBLIN SHC ‘A’ Quarter-Finals
Lucan Sarsfields 0-16 Kilmacud Crokes 1-12
Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-18 St. Vincent’s 1-8
Na Fianna 4-20 Faughs 2-10
Cuala 1-26 St. Brigid’s 2-14
Lucan Sarsfields produced the result of the Dublin SHC quarter-finals by beating a fancied Kilmacud Crokes team by the narrowest of margins.
Sarsfields trailed by a point at half-time, but when their goalkeeper Cillian Murray saved a Ronan Hayes penalty at the start of the second-half it seemed to give them an extra shot of adrenalin.
Chris Crummey excelled as Sarsfields opened up a five-point lead and survived the concession of a Ronan Hayes goal to hold on for victory.
Reigning champions Cuala also advanced to the Dublin SHC semi-finals courtesy of a comfortable nine-point victory over St. Brigid’s in what was a repeat of last year’s County Final.
David Treacy top-scored with 0-13, and much of the damage was done in the first half after which Cuala led by 11 points.
2018 champions, Ballyboden St. Enda’s, also enjoyed a comfortable win, as free-scoring duo Paul Ryan and Conal Keaney proved too hot for the St. Vincent’s defence to handle.
Na Fianna continued their impressive recent form by surging to a double-scores win over Faughs in the remaining quarter-final.
County star Donal Burke was their star player, scoring a personal tally of 2-10 of which 2-6 was from play.
GALWAY SHC
St Thomas’ 4-38 Portumna 0-15
Clarinbridge 0-23 Turloughmore 0-17
Ahascragh/Fohenagh 3-15 Mullagh 1-18
Loughrea 3-16 Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry 2-14
Ardrahan 0-12 Beagh 0-10
Cappatagle 0-15 Tommy Larkins 0-12
Athenry 0-23 Killimordaly 2-16
Gort 2-20 Ballinderreen 0-11
Sarsfields 3-11 Castlegar 0-19
Craughwell 5-22 Kinvara 2-13
Liam Mellows 2-13 Oranmore-Maree 0-17
Padraig Pearses 3-11 Kilnadeema-Leitrim 0-19
The Galway SHC is now down to the knock-out stages after a helter-skelter final group round.
St. Thomas, Cappataggle, Turloughmore, and Loughrea are all through to the quarter-finals.
Eight teams still have a chance to join them there, with the preliminary quarter-finals looking like this: Sarsfields v Ardrahan, Killimordaly v Mullagh, Liam Mellows v Gort, and Craughwell v Ahascragh/Fohenagh.
Liam Moore of Dicksboro in action against Jay Leahy, left and Jordan Molloy of O'Loughlin Gaels during the Kilkenny County Senior Hurling League Final match between O'Loughlin Gaels and Dicksboro at UPMC Nowlan Park in Kilkenny.
KILKENNY SHL FINAL
Dicksboro 1-20 O’Loughlin Gaels 1-20 (Dicksboro win on penalties)
Dicksboro retained their Kilkenny Senior Hurling League title after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over O’Loughlin Gaels.
The game went to extra-time when Mark Bergin landed a late score for O’Loughlin Gaels. He was the last action hero in extra-time again, converting a late free to bring the match to penalties where a more clinical Dicksboro prevailed.
MEATH SHC
Group A1
Longwood 0-16 Killyon 0-14
Group A2
Ratoath 0-19 Kiltale 2-12
Group B1
Kilmessan 3-14 Blackhall Gaels 0-14
Group B2
St Peter’s Dunboyne 2-17 Navan O’Mahonys 0-14
Kiltale and Killyon will contest the Meath SHC relegation play-off after defeats to Ratoath and Longwood respectively.
Navan O’Mahony’s will also face a relegation play-off against either Blackhall Gaels or Clann nan Gael after their defeat to St. Peter’s Dunboyne.
Billy O'Keeffe of Ballygunner in action against Shane Heaphy and Carthach Daly of Lismore during the Waterford County Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final match between Ballygunner and Lismore at Fraher Field in Dungarvan, Waterford.
WATERFORD SHC SEMI-FINALS
Ballygunner 2-25 Lismore 1-10
Passage 0-26 Mount Sion 1-21
Ballygunner remain the hot favourites to make it seven county titles in a row after a convincing semi-final victory over Lismore.
The in-form Dessie Hutchinson was their main man yet again, scoring 2-8 from play to stretch Ballygunner’s unbeaten run in Waterford senior championship hurling to an incredible 37 matches.
In the other semi-final, Passage fought their way to a dramatic two-point victory over Mount Sion after a highly entertaining contest.
Mount Sion started the game well, scoring the only goal of the match, but scoring burst of seven points before half-time provided the platform for Passage’s victory.
With the wind at their backs, Mount Sion came on strong in the second-half, but a Passage defence superbly marshalled by Noel Connors held firm.
WEXFORD SHC FINAL
Shelmaliers 3-18 Naomh Éanna 3-11
Shelmalliers are 2020 Wexford SHC champions. You can read a match report of their victory over Naomh Éanna HERE.
